The Brief
We were approached by our long-term partner The National Gallery, to create an enchanting musical for the whole family, that would run in their on-site theatre. It was decided by the gallery team headed by Clare Arouche, that we would look to one of the numerous fascinating works of art that lined their walls. The piece that was settled upon, was the seasonal and in some way timeless work of Hendrick Avercamp “A winter scene with skaters near a castle”.
What We Did
The brief given was to create a show to lighten spirits and make magic. With that in mind, the phrase “the Hidden life that lives in art” was born. Coined by director, writer and co-composer Francesca Reid, she was interested in delving into what lives beyond the strokes of this snapshot of a world. After a research and development phase, what emerged, was a mystical world of talking animals and frosty foes. The script and lyrics received several draft treatments, edits and formatting passes and it was ready for music. We found the talented Edward Court and they and Francesca were able to work together via a mix of in person composition sessions, as well as the use of online meetings.
At Boo Productions, we have a team of talented designers and makers who also work in film and television and so we were able to design and create all costumes in house. We also have several highly skilled lighting and sound technicians we regularly work with and as such, only had a few key roles to recruit for.
We now had the show, crew, and design but what was missing was a cast to breathe life into a world that had been crafted. After days of casting, we finally whittled it down into 3 days of auditions. The whole way through, emphasis was put onto finding the most eclectic and diverse cast who had the skills needed for each role. The audition process was devised to be humanistic with much attention and accommodation to the actor’s access needs during the process. Once it had been narrowed down further, the process of recalls began, until eventually the cast was complete, rehearsals could start, and magic could be made.
With an emphasis on outreach we offered daily free tickets to schools and charities, so we could ensure that numerous families were able to come and enjoy the magical world we had collaboratively created.
Highlights
The show was phenomenally well received in the auditorium and widely reviewed by press and the public, and it was a genuine thrill to have our show so well loved.
We were able to strengthen our existing relationship with the National Gallery and raise awareness of their theatre space, encouraging families to explore their collection, thus increasing footfall and engagement of a new audience.
The Boo creative team relished the opportunity to immersive themselves in the world of Avercamp and compose an original family musical theatre show.
We consciously levelled up our accessibility practices, both for those we were working with and families who needed extra support to be able to enjoy the experience and this is something we will carry with us and continually improve.
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Boo Productions Ltd
Studio C, 23 Lombard Road,
Wimbledon,
London SW19 3TZ
Phone
020 8542 1480
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